The very name gives one chills, doesn’t it? On a sunny day it seems almost unbelievable that such a lovely little island could have once been such an menacing symbol of power.

It’s just over a mile from the San Francisco shore, and yet according to official records, none of the hundreds of men incarcerated during its 30 year reign as America’s most notorious high-security federal prison managed to escape. Though lying within sight and sound of San Francisco’s tantalizing promise of freedom, very few even attempted it. The prison maintained its status as “escape-proof” until it was taken out of service in 1963.

shameful, i know. there’s no doubt in my mind that if i didn’t live here, if i were just in town for a few days on a visit i’d make a point of seeing it, but somehow i’ve just never quite gotten around to it.

Hey.. like any good local you have not been there but admire it for it’s.. fearsome presence. I’ve ferried across the bay hundreds of times, from Sausalito and Larkspur, photographing Alcatraz in many interesting moods, I’ll have to send you some shots.

Richard, your writing and presence on the program are superb, congratulations,

I LOVE Alcatraz! I went with my Mom a couple of times when I was a teenager, a couple of times with the YMCA while I was a Junior Counselor, and most recently in January of 2007 for a night tour while my cousin and her daughters were visitng. And I thought the views during the day were spectacular!

I love the creepiness of the place, the thought of all of those criminals in there ready to stick a shiv into someone’s back for little more than a pack of cigarettes. (Well, I’m assuming that Alcatraz isn’t all that different from any other hard-time prison and did actually have the occasional murder inside those cells and walls.)

When they had live tour guides (when I went with cousins, we used handheld devices), they would tell us they couldn’t lock us any of the cells for fear the mechanisms that close and open the sliding bars would fail, causing us to be locked in for an extended period of time. But for whatever reason, they agreed to let my Mom and me give it a try, and so we did. They locked us in! It was FANTASTIC! We also wanted to be locked in solitary confinement, and that was pretty awesome too. I can’t imagine having to live in that manner for even one day, with not even a speck of light from under the door, nor sound from a scuttling mouse to reach my ears, the only visit from a guard bringing food a couple of times a day.

The most recent visit, however, was truly the most spectacular when it comes to views of the surrounding cities, particularly San Francisco. And because it was a clear, crisp night, the view of the GGBridge was simply awe-inspiring.

Richard, you really must get out to Alcatraz. If you want to avoid the tourists, go during down season. It’s probably an especially good time now, too, what with the world’s economy keeping visitors away, at least to a degree. And if I had to suggest day or night, while I love both, I would go with night. And during January or February, when the sun sets on the earlier side. The sunset coming in over the GGB can’t be missed.